SWAMPSCOTT — Superintendent of Schools Pamela Angelakis officially endorsed Swampscott Middle School Principal Jason Calichman to be her successor when she retires from her position at the end of this school year.
Angelakis first announced her plans to retire at the beginning of the summer, citing her desire to give the School Committee ample time to find her replacement as a main reason for making the decision early. She will remain in her role until June 30, 2025.
“In analyzing my leadership team, particularly in the last couple of years, there’s one person who has risen to the top,” Angelakis said about Calichman. “They are dedicated to this community. I’d like to think this person bleeds blue.”
Calichman has held a leadership position at the middle school since 2011, when he started as an assistant principal. He was promoted to his current position of principal in 2015. Angelakis gave Calichman credit for creating a great culture among both students and staff. In addition, she emphasized that he has always had an interest in improving the district as a whole, despite being responsible for only one school.
“I see this drive and this intelligence and this dedication in him that I think will easily transition into this leadership position,” Angelakis said.
She expressed her belief that hiring someone internally from the district would be more likely to help create long-term success. Most School Committee members spoke of their satisfaction with and appreciation for the endorsement of Calichman. However, Suzanne Wright encouraged her peers to explore other options throughout the search process.
“Going with a single recommendation is sort of scary,” Wright said. “The fact that you have three assistant superintendents that have diverse and immeasurable talent, and this is the person you’re recommending, says so much and is so important.”
Calichman is slated to be publicly interviewed by the School Committee in the near future.
